Delighted Garcia relishing return home as Perth's exile ends

 

Perth Glory coach Richard Garcia is relishing his team's long-awaited return to Western Australia after an enforced four-month exile came to an end on Wednesday with the removal of the state's pandemic restrictions.

Authorities lifted almost two years of pandemic-related border closures at midnight, meaning Perth's 2-2 draw with A-League leaders Melbourne City was the last of a draining nine-game stint on the road.

"It's been a tiresome four months of travelling and I think that (the players have) dealt with it and coped with it very, very well," Garcia said, after seeing his side come back from two goals down to claim a point against the reigning champions.

"I don't know how much more I can smile when you say we're going home," he said. "Just to be reunited with family is going to be very special."

Glory have played in Perth only once this season, when they recorded a 1-1 draw on Nov. 20 with an Adelaide United side permitted to enter the state due to low COVID-19 rates in South Australia.

Since then the club has endured a challenging away campaign, with Garcia and his team forced to spend a two-week stint in quarantine in Queensland following a COVID-19 outbreak in the squad in December.

That has led to a backlog of games, with Glory set to play five of their next six matches in front of their own fans as players and staff become reacquainted with once familiar surroundings.

Adelaide will again be the opposition at Perth Oval on Sunday with Glory sitting in ninth place in the 12-team league, 17 points behind City but having played four fewer games.

"(The players) will get time to spend with their family," said Garcia. "Just a bit of normality will be fantastic and then it's back to business.

"We've got a heavy schedule now and the boys will be fully focused. We've also got to be able to use our whole squad and make sure that everyone's ready to play.

"They will definitely benefit as people from the experience."